Outdoor stove structure



June 17, 1941. a Q HESTER 2,246,440

OUTDOOR STOVE STRUCTURE 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed July in, 1940 4'6 V 3543 g w .June 17, 1941. s. c. HESTER OUTDOOR STOVE STRUCTURE 7 Filed July 10, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 3mm L5: 6.7265 tar June 1941' s. c. HESTER OUTDOOR STOVE STRUCTURE Filed July 10, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 f gjwmvwo M. 5.0.Heaier' I I I i flli'lllllliillllllllllllllt r June 17, 1941. s, Q H gT R 2,246,440

OUTDOOR S TOVE STRUCTURE Filed July 10, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented June 17, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OUTDOOR STOVE STRUCTURE Stanley 0. Hester, Pontiac, Mich.

Application July 10, 1940, Serial No. 344,783

5 Claims.

This invention relates to an outdoor stove structure.

The invention aims to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a stove structure of the class referred to for grilling steaks, chops, as well as for cooking and baking difierent articles of food outdoors on picnics, at camps and amusement parks or at any other desired outdoor place.

The invention further aims to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, an outdoor stove structure including a grille and an oven located above and disposed in rearward relation withrespect to the grille.

The invention further aims to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, an outdoor stove structure including a chimney and a stove body built in the chimney, the stove body having" a grille, and the chimney and stove body having correlating means to constitute an oven above the grille.

The invention further aims to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, an outdoor stove structure having a grille, and a pair of shiftable cover members over the grille, one functioning as the door for an oven and the other as a support extended forwardly from the grille when the stove is active. v

The invention further aims to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, an outdoor stove structure including a grille formed of a pair of hinged oppositely disposed hinged or pivoted sections and a cover for the grille formed of a pair of hinged or pivoted oppositely disposed sections, and a pair of spaced parallel pivots each common to a grille section and a cover section.

The invention further aims to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, an outdoor stove structure which is simple in its construction and arrangement, strong, durable, readily assembled, pleasing in appearance, thoroughly eiiicient in the use intended thereby, reducing fire hazards to a minimum when the stove is used and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Embodying the aims aforesaid and others which may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more specifically referred to and illlustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein are shown embodiments of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a perspective view of an outdoor stove structure in accordance with this invention,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the stove structure with the cover sections forming elements thereof extended to constitute supports,

Figure 3 is an elevation of and looking towards the inner face of the outer section of either side member of the stove structure,

Figure 4 is an elevation of and looking towards the inner face of the front member of the stove structure,

Figure 5 is an elevation of and looking towards the inner face of the outer section of the back member of the stove structure,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view in vertical section of the stove structure with a cover section extended,

Figure 6A is a section on line 5-6 Figure 1,

Figure 7 is a front elevation of a modified form of outdoor stove structure in accordance with this invention,

Figure 8 is a section on line 8-8, Figure '7,

Figure 9 is a section on line 9-9, Figure 8,

Figure 10 is a section on line Ill-ID, Figure 8,

Figure 11 is a detail in elevation illustrating the damper for attachment to the back member, and

Figure 12 is a fragmentary view in vertical section on line I2-I2, Figure 3.

With reference to Figures 1 to 6 and 11, an outdoor stove structure, in accordance with the invention includes a front member I2, a pair of oppositely disposed side members It, I4 of like form and a back member I5. bers I2, I3, I4, I5 are detachably secured together to form a vertically disposed hollow body I6 open at its top and bottom. The said mem bers 13, I4 are provided at their front and rear with depending integral supporting legs IT for supporting body I6 in spaced relation with respect to a support such as the ground.

The front member I2 is formed with a pair of spaced superposed door openings I8, I9 normally closed by a pair of superposed doors 20, 2!, respectively. The doors are disposed on the outer face of the member I2, are detachably hinged at one side thereof, as at 22 to member I2 and at their other sides are formed with laterally extending handles 23 for seating on the superposed spaced aligned beveled lugs 24 disposed on the outer face of member I2. The latter in proximity to each of its side edges is formed with a pair of spaced superposed aligned openings 25.

The said mem- The member i2 has its rear or inner face formed with an endless rib 26 having opposed portions 21 flush with its top and bottom edges and oppositely disposed opposed portions 28 of like form spaced inwardly from its side edges. Each portion 26 is formed with a pair of spaced superposed aligned inwardly extending V-parts 29 each partly surrounding in spaced relation an opening 25. The member It has its rear or inner face provided with a pair of superposed endless ribs 36, 3|, which are flush with the walls of the openings l8, [5, respectively. Reinforcing ribs 32 are also provided on the inner or rear face of member |2 between the ribs 36, 3| and reinforcing ribs 33 and between the ribs 30, 3| and the rib 26. The member l2 at its upper and at its lower end is formed with outwardly directed fiat flanges 34, 35, respectively, which are flush with the top and bottom edges of said member. The flange 34 constitutes a combined support and anchor for a purpose to be referred to,

Each of the side members l-3, 4 with reference to Figures 3 and 6A includes an outer section '36 in the form of a frame and an inner section 31 in the form of a panel mounted in and detach l ably connected to the section 36. The latter is formed of an upper part 38, a lower part 39, a front part 48 and a rear part 4|. The parts '40, 4| are of like form, are arranged between and merge into the parts 38, 39. the section 36 is indicated at '42. The inner face of section 36 is formed with an endless rib '43 which is spaced from said edge 42 to thereby form such section with an endless rectangular abutment 44 and an endless rectangular shoulder 45 surrounding the abutment '44. The top portion of the abutment 44 has formed integral therewith a pair of spaced aligned offset inverted L-shaped lugs 46 forming grooves 46*. The

bottom portion of the abutment 46 has formed integral therewith a pair of spaced aligned L- shaped lugs 46 forming grooves 46. The top and bottom edges of the section 36 are indicated at 41, 48 respectively. The top edge '41 in proximity to each end thereof is formed with an -arcu ate offset portion 49 provided with an opening 50. The inner face of the upper part 38 of section 36 below top edge 41 is formed with a lengthwise disposed rib 5| spaced from the top of the rib 43. The front and rear edges of the section 36 are indicated at 52, 53 respectively. The inner face of section 36 is formed with a pair of vertical ribs 54, flush respectively with the edges 52-, 53. The rib 54 is of slightly less length than the rib 55. The inner face of section 36 is formed with a pair of vertical inner ribs 56, 51 disposed inwardly of and coacting respectively with the ribs 54, 55 to form the grooves 58, 59. The rib 5| merges into the upper ends of the ribs 56, 51 and into the rib 55 below the upper end of the latter. The ribs 56, 51 each is formed with a pair of spaced parallel superposed grooves 60. Integral with each inner rib and the inner face of section 36 are two superposed spaced pairs of spaced parallel lugs 6| which extend from an inner rib towards a side of the rib 43. A groove 66 is arranged between a pair of lugs 6|. The front and rear parts 40, 4|, of section 36 each has formed integral with its inner face a T- shaped support 62 spaced inwardly of an inner rib. The purpose of the supports 62 will be hereinafter referred to. The inner face of the bottom part 39 is formed with a rib 63 which is flush with the edge 21 and merges at its ends into the lower ends of the ribs 56, 51. The inner face of The inner edge of r section 36 is formed with spaced integral reinforcing ribs 64 interposed between the rib 43 and the ribs 5|, 56, 51 and 63.

The section 31 of a side member comprises a sheet metal panel-like body 65 of rectangular contour positioned against an abutment 44 and surrounded by a shoulder 45, and when so positioned it will be removably positioned in the grooves formed by the lugs 46, 46 and will be detachably connected to said sections 36 by said lugs. These latter are disposed at the corners of the abutment.

The ribs 5| of the side members i3, I4 coact to provide a support for a purpose to be referred to. Each side member at its upper end is formed with an outwardly directed flat flange 68 pro vided with spaced integral depending reinforcing webs 63. Each side member at its sides is formed with outwardly directed flanges 16 and its bottom with an outwardly directed flat flange 1|. The flanges 68, 1| are of greater width than the flanges 16. The flanges 68, 16, 1| merge into each other.

The rear member I5 (Figures 5 and 6A) is formed of an outer section 12 of frame-like contour and an inner section 13 of panel-like form. The section 12 is formed of an upper part 14, a lower part 15 and a pair of side parts 16, 11. The inner and outer edges of the section 12 are indicated at 19, 18 respectively. The inner face of section 12 is formed with an inner endless rib spaced from the edge 18 and which provides the said inner face with an abutment BI and a shoulder 82 surrounding the abutment. The latter has its upper portion integral with a pair of aligned spaced offset inverted L-shaped lugs 83 forming grooves 83 The bottom portion of the abutment 8| has formed integral therewith a pair of aligned offset L-shaped lugs 63 forming grooves 83. The inner face of section 1-2 is formed with an outer endless rib 64 having a pair of opposed portions flush with parts of the outer edge 18 and another pair of portions spaced from the remaining parts of said outer edge. Each of said portions spaced from said edge 18 is formed with a pair of spaced inset parts. The side parts of the section 12 each is formed with a pair of superposed openings 85. The lower parts 15 of section 12 between the ribs 86, 84 is formed with a rectangular opening 86 controlled by a pivoted damper 81 (Figure 11) attached to the rear face of said lower part 15. The rib 86 corresponds in form to the form of the rib 43 of a side member. The rib 64 corresponds in form to the outer rib on the inner face of the front member l2. The openings are arranged relative to the inset parts of the rib 84 in the same manner as the openings 25 of member l2 are disposed relative to the inset parts 29 of the outer rib of member l2. The inner face of section 12 is formed with integral reinforcing ribs 88 arranged between the ribs 80, 84.

The section 13 of rear member I5 corresponds in form to the form of section 31 of a side member. The section 13 of rear member 5 is arranged relative to and detachably connected to the said section 12 in the same manner as section 31 of a side member is arranged relative to and detachably connected to the section 36 of the side member. The lugs 83, 83 are arranged at the corners of abutment 8|. The upper and lower ends of the section 12 are formed with a pair of outwardly directed fiat flanges 69, 96. The flange 89 constitutes a support for a purpose to be referred to and it is formed with spaced protuberances 9|.

With reference to Figure 6 it discloses the relative positions of the front, rear and side members when they are assembled to form the body I6, and in this connection the member I2 extends in the front grooves 58 and the member I5 extends into the rear grooves 59 of the side members I 3, I4. Holdfast means 92 coact with the openings of member I2, the openings 85 of the member I5 and the pairs of lugs 6| on the side members I3, I4 for detachably connecting said members I2, I3, I4, I5 together .to form the open top and bottom body I6. The inturned portion 29 of front member I2 and the inturned portion of the rib 84 of the member I5 form clearances for the lugs 6|. The holdfast devices or means 92 are seated in the grooves 60.

The body I6 is divided into a fire box or chamher and an ash pit and for such purpose a removable grate 93 is employed and which is mounted on the T-shaped supports 62 aforesaid provided on each side member. The fire box or chamber is indicated at 94 and the ash pit at 95, Figure 3.

The pair of openings of one side member align with the pair of openings 50 in the other side member. Mounted in each pair of aligned openings and suitably connected to the side members is a pivot bar or rod 96. The stove structure includes a grille formed of a pair of oppositely disposed like sections 91, each has its outer end of reduced width and rounded, as at 91 The said reduced end is hollow and loosely encompasses a pivot rod 96 whereby the section is hinged to the rod. The sections of the grille are to normally 1 seat on and be supported by the ribs 5| on the inner faces of the side members I3 and I I. The grille sections may be shifted to a vertical position to enable convenient access to the chamber 94 from the top of the latter. ture includes a pair of oppositely disposed cover sections 98, 99 for the grille when the latter is not used. The cover sections are of like form and each has its outer end formed with a pair of spaced aligned apertured ears I00 loosely encompassing a pivot rod 96 whereby the cover section is hinged to said rod. The reduced outer end 91 of a grille section is arranged between a pair of ears of a cover section, whereby the latter may be shifted independently of a grille section. When the cover sections are closed they are mounted on the grille sections. Each cover section has its outer face formed with a pair of spaced aligned abutment members IDI formed of a body part I02 having its outer end provided with an oiTset extension I03. The cover sections also constitute supports for various objects when such sections are extended laterally with respect to the front and rear of body I6, and when so extended they will appear as shown by Figure 2, that is sections 99, 99 will be supported on flanges 34, 89 of members I2, I5 and with the extension I03 of the abutment members IOI arranged under and coacting with the flanges 89, 90 for bracing the cover sections. When the cover sections are extended to constitute supports, they are arranged below the upper end of body I6.

With reference to Figures '7, 8, 9 and 10, the modified form of outdwoor stove structure, in accordance with this invention is generally indicated at I05, and it includes a chimney I06, a stove body I01 having sides, front, bottom and rear built in the lower portion of the chimney, and an oven I08 arranged within the chimney above and rearwardly of the body I01. Certain The stove strucof the elements of the oven have built into the chimney.

The chimney I06 may be formed of courses of brick or stone, cement, concrete or other suitable masonry and it includes a pair of side walls I09, H9 of like form, a bridge or arch I II, a front Wall I I2, a rear wall II3 of greater height than said front wall, a bottom wall H4 and a base H5. The rear part II I of the bottom wall H4 is of greater height than its front part 4'. Each side wall consists of an upper part H6, an intermediate part I I1 and a lower part I I8. The part H6 is of greater height than the part H1. The part I I6 is of less height than the part I I8. The part H1 is of less width and height than the part H8. The latter is of greater thickness than the parts H6, H1. The part II1 extends out \vardly from the part H6. The part H8 extends outwardly from and is laterally oifset with respect to part II1, as at H9.

The wall I I2 merges into the front of the parts H6 and into the rear of the top of the parts H1. The bridge or arch I I I merges into the top of the parts H1 and into the lower portion of the front of the wall H2. The parts 1 merge into the rear portion of the top of the parts I I8. The rear ends of the side walls merge into front face of the rear wall H3. The lower ends of the side and rear walls merge into the upper face of the bottom wall I I4. The latter merges into the base H5. The base H5 is laterally offset with respect to the sides and front of the bottom wall 4. The manner of setting up the walls of the chimney provides the latter with an L-shaped chamber I 20 having a horizontally disposed lower portion with its rear part of less height than its forward part and a vertically disposed upper portion extended from the rear part of the hori zontal portion. The latter is open at its top and front and closed at the rear. The vertical portion is open at its front, partly closed at its top and closed at its rear. Certain of the walls of the chimney are so correlated to form a flue I2! opening at its lower end into the open top part of the said vertical portion of chamber I20. The level of the part II I of the bottom H4 is to be slightly above the grate within the stove body. There is arranged in the chimney structure a smoke ledge I2I in the form of an angle iron which projects forwardly from and is secured to wall H3 and it is also secured to the top of the part H4 of bottom H4.

The stove body I01 is of the same construction as the stove body I6, with this exception, that the inner sections of the side and rear members are not employed. The side members of the body I01 are indicated at I22, I23, the front member of body I01 is designated at I24 and the rear or back member of body I01 at I25. The members I22, I23 correspond in construction to the outer sections of the side members I3, I4. The

portions thereof front member 624 corresponds in construction to the front member 2. The member I25 corresponds in construction to the front member I2. The member I25 corresponds in construction to the outer section of the back member 5 with the exception that it is not provided with opening 86 and damper 81. The stove body I01 includes a pair of oppositely disposed cover sections I26, I21 for the grille I29, but in lieu of the cover section I21 functioning as a support when it is removed from over a grille section it provides the door for the oven I00.

The oven I08, in addition to its door provided by the cover section I21 includes a bottom I29, a

back wall I30, a top wall I3I and a pair of side walls I32. The bottom I29 is provided by a rearwardly extending horizontally disposed plate I33 mounted at its front end on the upper flange 39 of member I25. The plate I33 at its sides is formed with ribbed offset flanges I34 which are embedded in the upper portions of the inner faces (Figure of the parts H8 of the side walls of the chimney. The plate I33 is of a length to extend to align with the inner face of wall H2 and is formed with apertures I35 in proximity to its rear edge. The back wall I of the oven is formed from a vertically disposed plate I36 having studs I31 on its bottom edge engaging in the apertures I35. The bottom edge of plate I bears upon the upper face of plate I33. The sides of plate I35 are embedded in the inner faces of the parts H6, H1, H8 of the sides of the chimney. The top portion of plate I35 is embedded in the lower end of the front wall H2. The top wall I3I of the oven is provided by the lower face of the bridge or arch III and the lower end of the wall H2. The side walls I32 of the oven are formed by the inner faces of the parts H1, H8 of the chimney. The rear face of the plate B36 is flush with the inner face of the wall H2. The oven i8 is arranged in the vertical portion of the chamber I20. The open front of the vertical portion of chamber I20 is the open front of the oven and which is to be closed by the cover section I21.

The stove body I01 is arranged between the forward portion of the side walls of the horizontally disposed portion'of the chamber I20, and it is not only built in such side walls, but also into the said bottom part IM of the chimney structure. The part II I forms the bottom of chamber I20. When body 501 is built-in the parts IE8 of the side walls of the chimney, the inner faces of such parts close the side members I22, I23 of the stove body I01. The high part II of the bottom H4 closes the member I25 up to about two inches above the grate. Access is had to the top of stove body I01 from that part of the open top of chamber I20 forwardly of the vertical portion of said chamber, and access is had to the front of stove body I01 from the open front of chamber I20. When the stove body I01 is builtin the bottom of the chimney, the front of said body is substantially flush with the front of the lower portions of the sides of the chimney. The top and front of the stove body are permanently exposed.

It will again be stated that the construction of the stove body I 01 is the same as the construction "of the stove body I6 with this single exception that the stove body I01 does not in clude the inner sections of the side and back members of the stove body I6 and the damper.

Preferably the outer sections of the rear and side members of the stove body I6 will be of cast iron and their inner sections of sheet metal of the desired thickness. The rear and side members of the stove body I01 will be the outer sections of the rear and side members of the body I6. The front members of the stove bodies I6 and I01 will be cast iron.

What I claim is:

1. An outdoor stove structure including a front member, a pair of side members, a rear member,

means for detachably connecting said members together to form an upstanding body open at its top and bottom, said side members being extended above the upper ends of said front and rear members and being apertured at their upper ends in proximity to their front and rear ends, said front and rear members having outwardly directed flanges at their upper ends, a grate supported by said side members below said upper ends of the latter to form said body with a fire chamber and an ash pit, said front including selectable closable entrances for said chamber and ash pit, a grille formed of a pair of oppositely disposed selectable shiftable sections each having a continuous rounded hollow outer end of less width than and inset with respect to the sides of the remaining portion of the section, a cover for the grille formed of a pair of oppositely disposed selectable'shiftable sections each having its outer end formed with a pair of spaced parallel outwardly extending apertured ears between which is arranged a rounded outer end of a grille section, a pair of spaced parallel pivot members having their terminal portions mounted in the openings of said side members, each pivot member being common to the rounded outer end of a grille section and the pair of apertured ears of a cover section and connected thereto, said side members being provided with means on their inner faces below their upper ends for supporting said grille sections stationary in horizontal alignment, said cover sections having abutment means on their outer faces adjacent their outer ends for correlation with the lower faces of the flanges on said front and rear members for bracing the cover sections when extended laterally from said front and rear members.

2. An outdoor stove structure including a front member, a pair of side members, a rear member, means for detachably connecting said members together to form an upstanding body open at its top and bottom, said side members being extended above the upper ends of said front and rear members and being apertured at their upper ends in proximity to their front and rear ends, said front and rear members having outwardly directed flanges at their upper ends, a grate supported by said side members below said upper ends of the latter to forin said body with a fire chamber and an ash pit, said front including selectable closable entrances for said chamber and ash pit, a grille formed of a pair of oppositely disposed selectable shiftable sections each having a continuous rounded hollow outer end of less width than and inset with respect to the sides of the remaining portion of the section, a cover for the grille formed of a pair of oppositely disposed selectable shiftable sections each having its outer end formed with a pair of spaced parallel outwardly extending apertured ears between which is arranged a rounded outer end of a grille section, a pair of spaced parallel pivot members having their terminal portions mounted in the openings of said side members, each pivot member being common to the rounded outer end of a grille section and the pair of apertured ears of a cover section and connected thereto, said side members being provided with means on their inner faces below their upper ends for supporting said grille sections stationary in horizontal alignment, said side members being formed on their inner faces with spaced means to provide for the interengaging therewith of the front and rear members when the said several members are detachably connected together to form said body, each of said side members at the front and rear being provided with a depending leg, and said cover sections having abutment means on their outer faces adjacent their outer ends for correlation with the lower faces of the flanges on said front and rear members for bracing the cover sections when extended laterally from said front and rear members.

3. An outdoor stove structure including a front member, a pair of side members, a rear member, means for detachably connecting said members together to form an upstanding body open at its top and bottom, said side members being extended above the upper ends of said front and rear members and apertured at their upper ends in proximity to their front and rear ends, a grate supported by said side members below said upper ends of the latter to form said body with a fire chamber and an ash pit, said front including selectable closable entrances for said chamber and ash pit, a grille formed of a pair of oppositely disposed selectable shiftable sections each having a continuous rounded hollow outer end of less width than and inset with respect to the sides of the remaining portion of the section, a cover for the grille formed of a pair of oppositely disposed selectable shiftable sections each having its outer end formed with a pair of spaced parallel outwardly extending apertured ears between which is arranged a rounded outer end of a grille section, a pair of spaced parallel pivot members having their terminal portions mounted in the openings of said side members, each pivot member being common to the rounded outer end of a grille section and the pair of apertured ears of a cover section and connected thereto, said side members being provided with means on their inner faces below their upper ends for supporting said grille sections stationary in horizontal alignment, said front and rear members being formed at their tops with outwardly directed right angular extending flanges constituting supports for the cover sections when the latter are extended, and said cover sections being formed with means for correlation with said flanges for bracing such sections when extended outwardly and for limiting the extent of the shifting of such sections in an outward direction.

4. In an outdoor stove structure, a chimney structure having an open front portion and with the upper part of said portion inset with respect to the lower part of such portion whereby said lower part will extend forwardly from said upper part, a stove body built in the forwardly extended part of said open front and including a fire chamber, an ash pit, a top and a forwardly directed normally horizontally disposed shiftable member seated on and hinged at its rear end to the rear end of said top, means supported by and extended rearwardly from the top of said stove body, embedded in and correlating with the chimney structure to form an open front oven rearwardly of and above said stove body, said member capable of being shifted rearwardly and upwardly to abut the front of the chimney structure to provide a closure for the open front of said oven, and said stove body having its front and its top permanently exposed and its front provided with means for selectable access to said chamber and ash pit.

5. In an outdoor stove structure including a hollow front portion open at its forward end and throughout its top, a forwardly directed hollow intermediate portion extending above and merging at its lower part into the rear of said front portion and a flue forming portion, said intermediate part opening at its rear end into said flue, opening at the front of its lower part into the rear of said front portion and opening at the front of its upper part into the atmosphere above and at the rear end of said front portion, a chimney structure, a stove of the grille type built-in said front portion and communicating with the lower part of said intermediate portion, said stove having its top and front permanently exposed, and means supported from the rear of the stove, embedded in the upper part of said intermediate portion and correlating with the latter to form an open front oven arranged above and extended rearwardly from the stove, and said stove including a hinged part at its top engageable with the front of the upper part of said in- 

